


Strawberries

by Mushy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Starvation, Panic Attacks, but very briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25600762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mushy/pseuds/Mushy
Summary: What brought him here? To this rusty and run down park at - His phone screen illuminated his face as he checked the time - 2am? To be honest he didn't know, no one did. Hell, I don’t even know. Maybe it was something new, or perhaps something old. Maybe it was the fact that he had lived alone for the majority of his life with no solid parental figure. Maybe it was because the corner shop ran out of his favourite milk and that had pushed everything to the edge.I wrote this because I was stuck in my feelings and I thought it up last night to make me sad.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime/Kageyama Tobio/Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kageyama Tobio/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 9
Kudos: 461





	Strawberries

Down to the bone. Through the skin. Seeping into his core. That’s how far the rain sank, fully encompassing the figure on the swings. The sound of the rain battering the ground accompanied by the gentle squeak as he swung. His feet grazed the hard tarmac and his head hung low, bangs over his eyes. He shivered but made no move to get up. 

What brought him here? To this rusty and run down park at - His phone screen illuminated his face as he checked the time - 2am? To be honest he didn't know, no one did. Hell, I don’t even know. Maybe it was something new, or perhaps something old. Maybe it was the fact that he had lived alone for the majority of his life with no solid parental figure. Maybe it was because the corner shop ran out of his favourite milk and that had pushed everything to the edge.

The reason didn’t really matter, what mattered was that the only thing he could hear was the pounding of the rain, the only thing he could feel was how soggy his clothes were, the only thing he could smell was the water that clinged to his clothes, the only thing he could taste was the salt from his tears and the tang from his snot.

He was sure he would catch a cold, then he’d have an excuse to hole up in his apartment and not leave for a few days. He could deny visitors under the guise of ‘Oh I don’t want to get you sick,’. But if he was being honest there would probably only be one person who would want to visit him anyway. 

He’d just sit here for a while longer, to try and melt into the floor. Let the rain wash him away so he wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. Let the late hour and night sky be the last to witness him, to perceive him before he is gone. Before he lets the moon steal him away to her own corner of the universe to set him free.

Before- “Kageyama?”

He finally lifted his head, he wiped his bangs away and shielded his eyes so he could look at who’s caught him.

“What are you doing out in the rain so late? You’re going to catch a cold,” 

“Yeah,,,that was,,,kinda the point,” He says quietly, he let his head flop down again.

The newcomer sighed, his eyes softened “Nonsense, come on, up you get,”

Suddenly there were arms around his waist and water was no longer battering his body. He stood up fully, looming over the other person slightly.

“Oikawa-san, what are you doing?” He tilted his head.

“Really? I’m helping you not die in this gross park and that’s how you thank me?” Oikawa scoffed and maneuvered them so they were side by side with his arm around Kageyama's shoulder.

They were walking now, Kageyam didn’t know where and he didn’t bother to look at his surroundings. His eyes stayed fixated on the ground. Oikawa was quiet, which was weird for the older setter. It was weirder that he was helping him though, so he let it slide. They stopped way too soon, Oikawa struggling to fish out his keys before sighing and taking his arm off of Kageyama. Kageyama blinked and then he was sitting on a couch in someone's apartment. 

He deduced that this must be Oikawa’s apartment, for how else would he have a key. There were various bangs coming from the kitchen as Oikawa went about preparing something. Kageyama sat in silence and slowly became more uncomfortable with how wet his clothes were.

“If you go have a shower I’ll have some things for you by the time you get out,” Oikawa called from the kitchen.

He didn’t know where the bathroom was, so he decided to just sit awkwardly until Oikawa poked his head out the door.

“What?”

“I don’t know where the bathroom is,” Kageyama murmured.

Oikawa sighed and gently took him by the arm and led him to the bathroom. Once inside he showed him how to use the shower and where to put his clothes.

“I’ll get some of my clothes for you to put on, they might be a tad too small but I'm sure you’ll manage,” The sound of Oikawa’s socked feet padding away filled his ears.

He peeled off his hoodie and shivered again as his body finally registered how cold he actually was. It was the kind of cold that was set deep in the marrow of his bones and tickled his nervous system. One that would stay a while. 

Oikawa walked back into the bathroom as Kageyama was putting his hoodie and t-shirt into the hamper by the toilet. He placed the clothes, the biggest ones he could find, on the countertop. His palm gently met Kageyama's back, he jumped anyway.

“Make sure to have the water on high, I better see red skin when you come out or else you’re going straight back in and I’ll have to chaperone,” He tried to lift the mood, to get some sort of positive reaction.

Kageyama’s lips curved up ever so slightly, he nodded and began to take off the rest of his clothes. Oikawa slipped out silently and shut the door, going back to the kitchen.

Once Kageyama was under the hot spray of the shower, he thought about the things that led up to him being under said shower. First, he was at the park minding his own business and being wet. Then, Oikawa was there, and whatever had possessed him decided to bring him into his home. Then he was stripping in his bathroom while Oikawa got him more clothes. Now he’s in his shower, being wet again. He’s in his ‘rivals’ shower, looking at his shampoo and extensive skin and hair care products. Standing on his anti-slip mat. 

Yet he can feel nothing, not even confusion or suspicion, which he is sure will come later when his head is clearer. Or it won’t. Maybe he’ll go throughout the night and he’ll never find out why Oikawa was nice to him. Why he was at the park as late as he was. Why he decided now would be a good time to reel him in when he was on his last piece of frayed consciousness.

He managed to force his hands to pick up the soap and clean his body, very slowly, but it was cleaning nonetheless. Then he reached for the shampoo, slowly massaging it into his scalp seemed to help him forget everything. Forget what happened yesterday, what happened today, and it let him not worry about what is to come. Oikawa’s shampoo smelt of strawberries. Of course it did, he was always one to get the nicer things in life. Whatever he deemed ‘cute’ would soon be in his possession. 

His conditioner was the same. Kageyama would normally just pick whatever products he thought were the cheapest, not caring about smell. Perhaps that’s another thing that separated them. Oikawa took more care into his appearance and the way the world saw him, whereas Kageyama couldn’t care less if the world saw him at all.

He finally switched the shower off, stepping out onto the fluffy mat laid out to collect the water running off his body. He dried himself off and put the clothes that were laid out for him on. They fit nicely, surprisingly big as they hung off his body. Oikawa was broader than him, and he had lost a little weight so he supposes it’s only fair. 

He returned to the living room, having to strain to remember the way even if it was only a few steps. The sight of Oikawa placing mugs of tea and hot soup on the table greeted him. When Oikawa straightened he sent Kageyama a hesitant smile.

“I don’t know what kind of tea you liked, but I only have one kind so it’ll have to do,” He sat down and crossed his arms, trying to keep some sort of normalcy to their dynamic.

“That’s alright, I don't think I know either,” Kageyama sent a small smile his way, sitting next to him and crossing his legs.

They were silent, as Kageyama nursed his tea. The shivers had started as soon as he left the bathroom. Oikawa sent worried glances his way every so often, if he wasn’t already exhausted he probably would’ve assured him he was fine and then be on his way.

As soon as the empty mug was set down, the silence was broken.

“Do you want to talk about anything?” Oikawa had grabbed his wrist, setting it between them and rubbing his thumb back and forth over his knuckles.

It wasn’t invasive, it wasn’t prying. He gave him an opportunity. To talk about anything. Anything he wanted, anything in the world. 

“The shop that I normally go to for groceries didn’t have the milk that I wanted, so I had to buy flavoured,” He spoke gently, not wanting to ruin anything that was going on.

Oikawa huffed a laugh “Of course Tobio-chan would be mad about flavoured milk, strawberry is better than plain and I won’t hear otherwise,”

Kageyama rolled his eyes, entertaining the thought that strawberry would ever be better than plain, which was ridiculous by the way.

Apparently Oikawa had had enough of his shivering, because next thing he knew there was a blanket thrown over him and Oikawa was now very close. Almost sitting on top of him close.

“Oikawa-san,,,?” 

“Don’t start, I can’t have you dying of pneumonia now can I?” He rested his head on Kageyama's shoulder, his arms wrapped around him, encasing him in the blanket.

“I wouldn’t mind,,,” He spoke quietly to make sure Oikawa wouldn’t hear him, but the way he squeezed his hand said that he had.

“Help me take the dishes to the sink then we can go to bed, I’ll give you some medicine in the morning, okay?” Oikawa didn’t wait for a response, just slowly detached himself from kageyama and took the bowls into the kitchen,

Kageyama tried to take the mugs, but he must’ve been shaking too much because now he’s on the floor with broken bits of mug in his hands and blood seeping out of his cuts.

Oikawa was at his side almost instantly, taking away the broken parts.

“I’m,,,I’m sorry I- I didn’t mean-” He was hyperventilating, thinking surely Oikawa would shout at him, he’d be so disappointed and leave Kageyama back on the streets and wonder why he would ever help him in the first place.

He hadn’t realised he was crying until soft fingertips wiped at his eyes. He was too caught up in his panic to register the things Oikawa was saying. Too panicked to realise that there was no more broken ceramic. Too panicked to listen as Oikawa talked to someone on the phone. Too panicked to realise the door had opened until a different set of arms were around him. Stronger, tanned arms.

“Hey, hey, listen to me, we gotta take slow breaths, okay? Slow, deep breaths,” He tried to follow, he really did. It still took ten minutes for him to calm down fully.

“Hey kid, you’re alright, it’s okay,” He finally registered who the voice belonged to.

“Iwaizumi-san,,,?” 

“Yeah kid, I’m right here,” The arms around him tightened.

Oikawa was crouched in front of him “Let’s get those hands cleaned up,” He cupped Kageyama's face and swiped his thumb over his cheekbone before standing up.

He was back in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet seat now. Iwaizumi was crouched in front of him wrapping his cuts while Oikawa stood by the sink, biting his nails.

Once Iwaizumi was done he stood up and placed a chaste kiss to Kageyama's forehead, he returned the medical supplies to the cupboard above the sink. His other hand was placed on Oikawa’s waist in an attempt to quell his worries.

“I’m sorry,,,” Kageyama broke the silence.

“Hey, there’s nothing to be sorry for,” Oikawa was the one in front of him now, “It’s alright, Tobio, you’re alright,” 

A sob left Kageyama and he was pulled into Oikawa's embrace. He buried his face in the older boy's neck and clutched at his shirt. He felt bad that he was soaking his clothes with his tears but he couldn’t stop.

They were soon joined by Iwaizumi and they all just held each other. At 3am in Oikawa’s bathroom, sitting on the floor overwhelmed by feelings. Feelings of hurt, worry, affection. Feelings of helplessness as Kageyama sobbed into the other two's arms and they could nothing but hold him and make sure he was safe and cared for.

“Come on, I think It’s time for bed,” Iwaizumi whispered to the other two.

They all got up and exited the small bathroom, kageyama heading for the living room when he was pulled in the direction of the bedroom.

“The couch isn’t comfortable to sleep on, believe me I know,” Oikawa chuckled softly, “And it’s much warmer on the bed,”

He was too tired to argue and he didn’t dare think about what it would be like in the morning. He just nodded and let himself be dragged by the arm. Once they were in Oikawa’s bedroom they set Kageyama down. 

Iwaizumi stripped down to his boxers while Oikawa changed into his pyjamas. They lay down on either side of him and tried their best to keep him as warm as they could.

“Thank you,,,Oikawa-san, Iwaizumi-san,” Kageyama whispered, his head tucked under Oikawa’s chin.

“Don’t worry about it,” Oikawa said, kissing the top of his head.

“It’s not a problem, _you’re_ not a problem, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi whispered into the back of his neck.

Kageyama's cheeks burned and he tightened his hold around Oikawa, finally feeling something that night. 

“I think you embarrassed him, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa giggled softly.

“Oh shut up, shittykawa,” Iwaizumi growled, tightening his grip on Kageyama's waist and tangling their legs together.

He liked this. The easy banter between them. They way they tried to make him feel better. The warmth.

His last thought before he drifted off to sleep was ‘Maybe strawberry milk is better. Sometimes,’


End file.
